Creating the plan

A plan that reflects the true voice of our community

In 2016, we started developing a new Council vision, one that would reflect our community’s values, aspirations and priorities and lead us for the next 10 years.

Between November 2016 and April 2017, we reached out to people who live, work, study or recreate in Boroondara and received 11,845 responses - making it our largest public consultation to date.

The Boroondara Community Plan and the strategies it contains are a direct response to the feedback we received from our community. The plan was developed over four stages.

Stage One - the ideas phase

Between November 2016 and February 2017, we received 7,182 responses from the Boroondara community to the question “What’s important to you in Boroondara?”. This open-ended question was designed to ensure that we had the opportunity to hear about all issues the community thought were important.

Stage Two - prioritisation

In the second stage of consultation, 4,663 responses were received from members of our community who either chose their 'top three' from the seven priority themes identified in Stage One, or allocated a hypothetical budget among the priority themes.

The seven themes combined provide the foundation for what residents told us makes a happy, healthy community.

The following pages provide information about what the community told us about each priority theme and their supporting strategic objectives and strategies.

Each theme has a strategic objective that describes the outcomes we are seeking to achieve.

The strategies describe the areas we will focus on to achieve the strategic objectives, and will be implemented through actions in our policies, plans, strategies, projects and budget over the next 10 years.

Each strategic objective will be measured by a set of strategic indicators to monitor our progress.

Priority theme 1

Your community, services and facilities

Our community told us they value:

Well-maintained public places and community events where people of all ages and backgrounds can interact, learn and be active. Safety, respect and ensuring services are available to support those who may need them, including young families, older adults and vulnerable members of the community.

Our community said:

We value these things because they contribute to good health, a sense of community connection and harmony across life stages.

Strategic Objective 1: Community services and facilities are high quality, inclusive and meet a variety of needs now and into the future.

Our strategies to achieve this objective

Strategy 1.1 - Plan, maintain and renew multipurpose facilities and sports precincts to meet broad, intergenerational needs of the community now and into the future.

Strategy 1.2 - Develop a multi-channel wellbeing information service that provides localised and individualised responses to support increased access to available services and facilities.

Strategy 1.3 - Deliver, facilitate and advocate for services and programs that promote health, wellbeing, safety and a sense of community.

Strategy 1.4 - Provide, facilitate and advocate for life-long learning opportunities for people of all ages.

Strategy 1.5 - Provide, facilitate and advocate for opportunities to increase connections within the community with a focus on local neighbourhoods.

Strategy 1.6 - Create and maintain public areas, facilities, amenities, footpaths and spaces that are inviting, clean and appropriately lit to increase social connection and improve perceptions of safety.

Strategy 1.7 - Support the community’s capacity to create and maintain safe neighbourhoods in partnership with relevant State and Federal Government services, community groups and traders.

Strategy 1.8 - Facilitate and produce diverse arts and cultural programs to provide entertainment and increase participation in community life for residents and tourists.

Strategy 1.9 - Facilitate and advocate for opportunities to maximise older people’s quality of life and engagement in the community through the provision of programs, volunteering and community-sharing projects.

Strategy 1.10 - Develop a strategic response to improving the safety of public places, Council’s facilities and events and take action as required to help protect community participation.

Evaluation measures

We'll use the following high level indicators and data to assess our progress towards achieving Strategic Objective 1. Detailed indicators will be published in the adjusted Council Plan 2017-21 and reported against in the Annual Report.

Indicators

Data source

Outcome: Access to community services and facilities

Data collected from Council’s services and facilities

Outcome: Satisfaction with community services and facilities

Annual Community Satisfaction Survey

Outcome: Council-funded services and activities delivered by community groups

Numbers of Council-funded grant recipients and funded agencies

Outcome: Utilisation of Council’s facilities, leases and licenses

Numbers of community groups using Council facilities

Output: Range of indicators to assess the progress of access, appropriateness, quality and cost of community services and facilities

Our strategies to achieve this

Strategy 2.1 - Sustainably design, manage and utilise parks and green spaces to foster a connected and healthy community for all ages and abilities.

Strategy 2.2 - Identify opportunities to acquire or convert land within the municipality into new green spaces to provide more open space and recreation opportunities.

Strategy 2.3 - Partner with other land owners to improve and provide further access to open space throughout the municipality.

Strategy 2.4 - Activate existing green spaces and build social connection through the delivery of additional Council and community services and programs in our parks and gardens.

Strategy 2.5 - Increase and improve public amenities and facilities in open spaces to enhance functionality for a wider range of uses.

Strategy 2.6 - Improve the safety and comfort of the City’s open spaces by providing shade where a need has been identified.

Strategy 2.7 - Manage, renew and preserve the green canopy in our open spaces and playgrounds for the enjoyment of future generations.

Evaluation measures

We'll use the following high level indicators and data to assess our progress towards Strategic Objective 2. Detailed indicators will be published in the adjusted Council Plan 2017-21 and reported against in the Annual Report.

Indicators

Data source

Outcome: Satisfaction with parks and green spaces

Annual Community Satisfaction Survey

Output: Range of indicators to assess the progress of access, appropriateness, quality and cost of parks and green spaces

Strategy 3.4 - Protect and increase canopy tree cover on private land to maintain neighbourhood character and amenity.

Strategy 3.5 - Reduce the environmental impact of Council facilities and assets through continued greenhouse gas saving initiatives and stormwater treatment and re-use.

Strategy 3.6 - Manage and care for our natural environment through increasing the area of public land in Boroondara being actively managed for biodiversity purposes.

Strategy 3.7 Lead our community through advocacy and action to mitigate against and adapt to impacts of climate change to minimise adverse impacts on community health and wellbeing, our natural environment and facilities and services.

Evaluation measures

We'll use the following high level indicators and data to assess our progress towards achieving Strategic Objective 3. Detailed indicators will be published in the adjusted Council Plan 2017-21 and reported against in the Annual Report.

Indicators

Data source

Outcome: Environment scorecard

Data collected from Council’s services and facilities

Output: Range of indicators to assess the progress of access, appropriateness, quality and cost of environmental practices

Priority theme 4

Neighbourhood character and heritage

Local heritage, the character of our neighbourhoods and the careful regulation of new development. Diversity in the size and cost of available housing to suit a range of lifestyles is also important.

Our community said:

We value these things because they contribute to Boroondara’s uniqueness and desirability.

Strategic Objective 4: Protect the heritage and respect the character of the City to maintain amenity and liveability while recognising the need for appropriate, well-designed development for future generations.

Our strategies to achieve this objective

Strategy 4.1 - Encourage the planning of well-designed new development that is appropriately located and does not negatively impact on established residential streets and valued neighbourhood character.

Strategy 4.2 - Advocate to the State Government and opposition parties for greater control over planning decisions.

Strategy 4.3 - Preserve the City’s history and protect heritage properties and precincts by undertaking a municipal-wide heritage review and introduce heritage overlays in the Boroondara Planning Scheme.

Strategy 4.4 - Encourage development in and around our commercial centres, with an emphasis on increasing housing diversity by having the appropriate planning controls in the Boroondara Planning Scheme.

Strategy 4.6 - Engage with owners and developers to achieve a balance between development and protection of neighbourhood character, heritage and amenity.

Strategy 4.7 - Advocate to the State Government and opposition parties to review the current suite of zones and overlays to ensure they provide opportunities for new residential infill in appropriate locations and limit development in inappropriate locations.

Evaluation measures

We'll use the following high level indicators and data to assess our progress towards achieving Strategic Objective 4. Detailed indicators will be published in the adjusted Council Plan 2017-21 and reported against in the Annual Report.

Indicators

Data source

Outcome: Satisfaction with neighbourhood character and heritage

The volume and content of complaints received (excluding objections to planning permit applications)

Output: Range of indicators to assess the progress of access, appropriateness, quality and cost of neighbourhood character and heritage

Strategy 5.6 - Partner with schools and other traffic generators to address traffic and parking congestion during peak traffic times.

Strategy 5.7 - Plan and advocate for better access and transport strategies to assist people with limited mobility, including those with disabilities and older adults, to travel in Boroondara to increase their participation in community life.

Evaluation measures

We'll use the following high level indicators and data to assess our progress towards achieving Strategic Objective 5. Detailed indicators will be published in the adjusted Council Plan 2017-21 and reported against in the Annual Report.

Indicators

Data source

Outcome: Satisfaction with getting around Boroondara

Annual Community Satisfaction Survey

Output: Range of indicators to assess the progress of access, appropriateness, quality and cost of getting around Boroondara

Strategy 6.4 - Promote and encourage businesses of the future to Boroondara, with a focus on new technology and innovation to meet changing employment needs.

Strategy 6.5 - Provide support for traders to increase vibrancy and functionality of existing retail precincts to enhance a sense of community.

Strategy 6.6 - Promote and expand the local night-time economy in identified locations.

Evaluation measures

We'll use the following high level indicators and data to assess our progress towards achieving Strategic Objective 6. Detailed indicators will be published in the adjusted Council Plan 2017-21 and reported against in the Annual Report.

Indicators

Data source

Outcome: Satisfaction with local shops and businesses

Annual Community Satisfaction Survey

Output: Range of indicators to assess the progress of access, appropriateness, quality and cost of local shops and businesses

Priority theme 7

Civic leadership and governance

We value strong and trustworthy leadership and decisions that ensure rates are spent efficiently and on things that are in the best interests of the community.

Strategic Objective 7: Ensure that ethical, financial and socially responsible decision making reflects community needs and are based on principles of accountability, transparency, responsiveness and consultation.

Our strategies to achieve this objective

Strategy 7.1 - Improve advocacy efforts, including building relationships with Federal and State elected representatives.

Strategy 7.6 - Engage the community in a review of the Boroondara Community Plan in 2021 to ensure Council services and facilities continue to meet community needs.

Evaluation measures

We'll use the following high level indicators and data to assess our progress towards achieving Strategic Objective 7. Detailed indicators will be published in the adjusted Council Plan 2017-21 and reported against in the Annual Report.

Indicators

Data source

Outcome: Satisfaction with civic leadership and governance

Annual Community Satisfaction Survey

Output: Range of indicators to assess the progress of access, appropriateness, quality and cost of civic leadership and governance

Our health priorities

We are committed to striving to enhance wellbeing for people who live, work, study or recreate in the municipality as an outcome of everything we do.

We will focus on providing a high quality of liveability through our planning, services, places and spaces to enable all members of the community to make healthy choices.

This commitment implies a focus on equity – fair and even access to resources – so community members of all ages, genders, backgrounds, locations and abilities have the same opportunities to achieve good health and wellbeing.

When developing the Boroondara Community Plan, we examined data indicative of the health and wellbeing status of the Boroondara community.

Overall, we discovered that the Boroondara community reports good health and quality of life.

However, the data does reveal areas of concern that require additional attention over the first four years of the Boroondara Community Plan.

In particular, the following health and wellbeing priorities emerged:

promoting mental health and social connection

preventing injury and violence

reducing harmful alcohol use

promoting healthier eating

promoting active living.

These health priorities represent the most significant preventable causes of poor health and wellbeing in Boroondara, as well as those areas where we can work with local health and community organisation partners to make changes that influence the health outcomes of the community.

The health priorities are linked to the seven priority themes of the plan with its focus on a healthy, liveable city.

Implementation and evaluation

Implementation

The Boroondara Community Plan sets the long-term strategic direction for our organisation. As shown in the diagram below, it also directly informs the Council Plan, the Municipal Strategic Statement and Council strategies, plans, policies and actions.

The plan will be implemented through our annual commitments set out in Council’s Annual Budget.

Evaluating and refreshing the plan

To ensure the Boroondara Community Plan continues to meet community needs, we have developed a comprehensive evaluation framework to monitor our progress toward achieving the strategic objectives and strategies set out in the plan.

Reporting will be incorporated into the City of Boroondara’s corporate reporting framework, which presents a comprehensive picture of our performance. To ensure accountability and transparency, we will:

publish the annual commitments in the Annual Budget and report on the progress in the Annual Report

actively consult the community through various channels, including the annual Boroondara Community Satisfaction Survey.

We'll review the plan each council term (every 4 years) to ensure we stay aligned with new trends, demands and changes to community and government priorities. We will refresh and update the plan in line with the next new council term in 2021.

For other questions, comments or concerns, contact the Community Planning and Development Department on 9278 4753 or email [email protected].